Silicon wafer used in the production of semiconductor circuits has a low number of particles of crystalline origin in the wafer surface

摘要

Silicon wafer has 3-10 particles/cm 2>of crystalline origin of less than 0.12 mu m in the wafer surface and 0.5 particles/cm 2>or less of crystalline origin of 0.12 mu m or more. No stacking faults are formed in the wafer when the wafer is heat treated in an oxygen atmosphere at 970-1030[deg] C for 2-5 hours and then at 1100-1160[deg] C for 1-16 hours. Independent claims are also included for: (a) a process for the production of a silicon wafer comprising pulling a silicon single crystal ingot from a silicon melt, and cutting the ingot into a wafer; and (b) a process for heat treating the silicon wafer. Preferred Features: The oxygen concentration in the silicon wafer is 1.2 x 10 1>8>to 1.6 x 10 1>8>atoms/cm 3>and is distributed over the whole silicon wafer.